Ex-lawmaker raises alarm over EFCC, PENCOM harassment

The erstwhile Vice Chairman of First Guarantee Pension Limited, Nze Chidi Duru, on Thursday, raised an alarm over the alleged intimidation and harassment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Pension Commission (PENCOM) in spite of court judgements restraining the two government agencies.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, counsel to Nze Duru, Mr. Smart Ehiazor, decried the continued persecution and harassment by security and anti-corruption agencies of his client at the instruction of the PENCOM chief executive, Chinelu Anolu following the takeover of the pension administrator by the regulatory agency.

Ehiazor disclosed that his client was arrested and detained by the EFCC last Saturday at exactly 9.00pm and was subsequently arraigned in court even when it was apparent to agents of the anti-corruption agency that he was undergoing medical treatment.

According to him, the charges filed against Duru for which he is currently undergoing prosecution have earlier been dismissed by a Federal High Court, Lagos.

Accusing the PENCOM director general of instigating securities agents to “hound, harass and intimidate Duru,” the lawyer added that “this line of harassment must stop. This act of impunity and abuse of processes must stop.

“A Federal High Court in Lagos had stopped PENCOM from sacking the management of the First Guarantee Pension Limited.

“This is a case of conflict of interest because the PENCOM boss had approached Duru in 2010 and requested to be made a shareholder of the pension firm. Having turned down the request from Chinelu, she instigated other minority shareholders to take over the pension company.

“Since taking over the management of the firm, PENCOM hasn’t called an annual general meeting, paid dividends to shareholders, published audited accounts of the company or paid taxes amounting to N1.2 billion to the federal government.

“But, she has allegedly been expending funds belonging to the pension company in traveling all over the country and lodging in the best hotels.”